Every year a small group of Android users — small, of course, being based on the relative size compared to the entirety of the Android community — gets very excited for one phone in particular. Google’s Nexus 5 is the continuation of the tradition of offering a container for the next iteration of Android, and after a long wait filled with torturous leaks it is finally ready to be enjoyed by its target audience.

When Android was first released, Google worked with hardware manufacturers to release devices that were specifically for development purposes. The Android Developer Phones, which existed as ADP1 and ADP2, existed to make sure developers had unrestricted access to whatever they needed to test their apps. When Google announced the Nexus One, it was widely assumed that this was a continuation of that practice. In reality, it was the creation of Google’s playground. A hardware line where Google set the rules for what they thought a smartphone should be, with the help of their manufacturing partners. This was a smartphone that existed so the user could do whatever they wanted with it, unbound by carrier interference and contract restrictions. Developers could also test their apps in a mostly uninhibited environment, but that was far from the true purpose of this line of products.

Things haven’t always gone exactly to plan for the Nexus program, but through it we’ve seen huge shifts in the mobile ecosystem as Google tried new things and enabled Android users to do more. As the next iteration in that line, and with so much innovation in the mobile ecosystem over the last year, the Nexus 5 sits in a unique position. Is this the next great Android smartphone, or is this another glowing rectangle in a crowd of increasingly powerful glowing rectangles?

Unassuming, understated design

Against the vibrant textures and colors that make up any Moto X, the cold metallic shades of the HTC One, and the high glossy brilliance or faux leather of the Samsung Galaxy line, the Nexus 5 looks quite plain. Whether in white or black, the matte soft touch back and the glossy black glass of the front of the phone are muted and flat. In a way, it stands out by doing exactly nothing to stand out. The glossy “NEXUS” etching across the back of the phone makes it clear who you are dealing with, but even in the right light that logo can be less than obvious. Fortunately, whatever you may perceive as lost in aesthetics you immediately gain once you touch the smartphone.

The casing for the Nexus 5 hits all of the right marks. The soft touch coating is comfortable, the glass on the front runs right up to the edges with a slightly raised lip so you aren’t laying the phone right down on the screen. The placement of the buttons and all interactable elements feels great. The ceramic volume rocker and power buttons offer a tactile, solid feel with every press that feels like a different temperature from the rest of the phone when your finger glides over them.

The only real complaint here is how easily the N5 seems to catch fingerprints. Yes, catch, as though fingerprints were some sort of disease. It really is that significant sometimes. The camera sticks out just enough to make some uncomfortable about setting the phone down with any force, but the lip actually offers a nice resting place for your index finger if you hold the phone with your left hand.

At 130g and only 69.8mm wide, the Nexus 5 sits at an interesting intersection with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, weighing the same as the S4 and being imperceptibly wider than the One. This sets the phone right on the edge of being comfortable to use with one hand, but far enough away from the phablets that it’ll be appealing to most other users out there. Considering how light the phone is, the Nexus 5 fees remarkably durable. It doesn’t flex or bend like the Galaxy S4, but it’s not quite as dense and solid feeling as the HTC One. Altogether the phone feels well assembled, looks nice, and is comfortable to hold.